Shore power for containerships at Port of Aarhus soon reality

Containerships calling at the container terminal at the Port of Aarhus will soon be able to turn off their diesel generators and receive shore power.

The port has unveiled plans to open an onshore power facility for boxships, which will be “the first of its kind” in Denmark. The plant is expected to be completed in 2026, according to the port authority.

The future plant will be built in collaboration with local company PowerCon which was also behind the shore power plant project at the cruise terminal. The shore power facility for cruise ships was opened in June 2023.

“We are pleased that we can once again collaborate with PowerCon to establish a shore power facility. It will reduce both noise and local particle pollution caused by ships using diesel generators. This benefits both the residents of the surrounding area and the employees at the port,” Anne Zachariassen, COO at Port of Aarhus, commented.

2024 marked the first full year of operation for the shore power facility at the cruise terminal, with 68% of the cruise ships docking there using shore power.

The facility for containerships, however, will be a little different.

PowerCon will deliver the transformer station and power management system for the new facility, while ShibataFenderTeam and Igus will supply a flexible cable system that can be moved around the quay to meet the ships’ needs. This setup will enable the facility to supply power to up to four containerships simultaneously when fully completed.

“The shore power facility at the container terminal is one of the most advanced projects in Europe. We are proud that PowerCon’s technology and expertise contribute to a vision that sets new standards for green port operations,” Jacob Bjarkam, Head of Sales at PowerCon, said.

Ports in Aarhus, Gothenburg, Bremerhaven, and Stockholm will all offer shore power for containerships by 2030 as part of the “OPS Network” project. The project is supported by the EU fund “Connecting Europe Facilities” with a grant of 18.8 million euros.

“We are very pleased that the European Commission and the CEF Committee recognize our high ambitions for the green transition. As some of Northern Europe’s most important ports, it is fantastic that we can collaborate to reduce the shipping industry’s climate footprint—this is a global challenge we stand together to tackle. Shore power for container ships is a crucial part of this effort for all the involved ports,” Zachariassen added.

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